First meeting
When my wife and I were contemplating to adopt a pup for our kids we had not realised how close the bond would develop with the little canine. Gabbar, as we named him, is from a giant breed of dog called the Newfoundland. As a small pup, Gabbar use to look like a black ball of fur... Extremely affectionate, and with his antics, he won our heart on the first day itself.
Anecdotes
There are many stories about Newfoundland dogs. During Medieval times, ships would carry one or two dogs of this breed for safety and rescue. However, we were not aware of these qualities when we got him. His childhood was so full of love and affection. He knew what kind of game he should play with our two sons, with my wife Vasundara and with me. A gentle push by him can make you lose your balance if you are not careful.
Like family
Though I have kept pets earlier, there is a uniqueness in Gabbar that is worth mentioning: If we have guests at home, first Gabbar has to say ‘hello’ to them. It is only after the guests are introduced to this black beauty that other members of the family will be allowed access to meet the guests.
‘Makes us whole’
Gabbar demonstrates that dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole. We stay in a very old house with lots of rocks and greenery. On a couple of occasions he has raised an alarm after seeing snakes at our verandah.
Stress buster
Stress is synonymous with modern day life. With both partners working, we do carry office stress back home many a times. And it’s like Gabbar senses everything by a simple glance. He is the best antidote to stress. On such occasions he doesn’t even hesitate to dirty my uniform or Vasundara’s sari.
Best friends
When I introduced Gabbar to my other passion — horse riding — it was a very reluctant introduction. Meeting a huge thoroughbred horse for the first time was not very comforting for Gabbar. However, seeing me fondly interacting with the horse, Gabbar realised that it was worth making friendship with horses as well.
